Making Your Church a Vital Congregation

1. Making Your Church a Vital Congregation West District of the Indiana Conference The United Methodist Church

2. Complement to our DNA

3. Why Vital Congregations? • We have the language and the practices for making disciples in the Five Practices. • We have what it means to be a disciple stated in our membership vows. • Vital Congregations now gives us the tools for being held accountable for making and being disciples.

4. Vital Congregation Measurements:

5. Why set goals? • Provide clarity and focus to ministry for the Mission • Give the congregation shared vision for the Mission • Move the church forward toward the Mission • Create greater accountability of the Mission • Each number represents a soul

6. Timeline • Now • Meet with Leadership Team • Set Goals

7. Timeline • Charge Conference in November • January 2012 begin online reporting • VitalSignsUMC.org • Share your story and successes • Learning best practices from others • Peer to peer support and sharing • Easy to use and understand • Open, accessible and evolving • March – Bishop’s meeting • April – General Conference

8. Critical Dates • Your charge conference • Goals presented • January 2012 • Reporting begins online • Every Monday

9. What is to be reported? • # in weekly attendance at worship service(s) • # of Professions of Faith • # of Small Groups (including Sunday school & Bible study) • # of people participating in Outreach locally and globally • $$ given toward Mission

10. Plan for Mondays • You’ll get an email every Monday reminding you to report your data (Starting 1/2/12) • Talk with key leaders/volunteers/admin staff • Who will count and report worship attendance? • Who will track the number of Small groups? • Who will track the number participating in missions? • How/when will the above be reported? • Who will enter the data on Mondays into the Vital Signs webpage?

11. How To Set Goals • Start with a time of prayer and discernment • Enter into worship praising God for the opportunity to participate in God’s Mission. • Study the Scripture to see clearly what the Church is to do and to be. (See next slide) • Respond by clarifying where God is already at work in the church you serve and where God is calling you forward. • Set your four-year goals in each of the five goal areas. (Make the goals realistic yet a stretch)

12. How to Set Goals, Con’t. • Scriptures: • Acts 1:8 – the scope of the Mission • Acts 2 and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit • Matthew - The Great Commission • Matthew - The Great Commandment • Matthew 22:36-40 • I Corinthians 12 – the church as a healthy body • Ephesians 4:10-13 – all have spiritual gifts from Christ • Galatians 3:26 – all are welcome • Micah 6:8 – God expects righteousness and justice from God’s people

13. Action Steps: Establish Action Steps that are SMART • Specific • Measurable • Attainable • Relevant • Time-framed

14. Examples of SMART Action Steps • Worship Attendance: • (Name) will find at least (number) greeters every week. One will welcome people at the entrance, one will move around the room engaging visitors or newer attendees, proactively helping them as needed, one will___. • (Name) will make contact with every visitor by (when). • (Name) will train the volunteer greeters. • All of the above will be done to assist in reaching our goals for 2012.

15. SMART Examples • Professions Of Faith : • Invitations for professions of faith will be offered at least ____/year from the pulpit and through Sunday School Classes, youth group, and Small Group Bible Studies. • All leaders will be asked to invite any attendees to make a profession of faith and attend confirmation. • Adult and Youth Confirmation/Membership classes will be offered at least (how many times?) • (Name) will evaluate our progress/effectiveness in this area every 3 months and make adjustments as needed. • All of the above will be done to assist in reaching our goals for 2012.

16. SMART Examples • Small Groups/Sunday School/Bible Studies: • We will host two 4-week studies as outreach/discipleship opportunities. • One in March on “Relationships” after Valentine’s Banquet. One in October on “Finances.” • Groups will meet in homes or at the church. Guests will be invited to attend Sunday Worship. • (Name) will evaluate progress/effectiveness in this area every 3 months and make adjustments as needed. • All of the above will be done to assist in reaching our goals for 2012.

17. SMART Examples • Outreach in Mission: • We will celebrate the outreach we’re currently doing by having a member share about his/her experience during a Sunday Worship Service each quarter. • We will invite our congregation and new members to participate in at least one outreach event each year. • We will participate in the District’s Great Day of Serving with our cluster in our community. • We will ask our congregation for new ideas on outreach and mission locally, regionally and globally. • All of the above will be done to assist in reaching our goals for 2012.

18. SMART Examples • Giving to Mission: • We will celebrate the giving we’re currently doing by having a member share about our mission partners during a Sunday Worship Service each quarter. • We will have an article in the church newsletter about “Your Giving: God’s Work” highlighting where our giving dollars go. • We will have a bulletin board with mission giving opportunities and information. • We will invite (Name)to talk about mission and giving opportunities. • All of the above will be done to assist in reaching our goals for 2012.

19. Fruit: A Vital Congregation • Worship Attendance • Professions of Faith • Small Groups • Mission & Outreach • Giving toward Mission

20. Remember…